Skin Walkers: Monroe (10 page)

Chapter
12

Pacing just inside his office door, where he’d
remained after Eden entered, Monroe eyed her walking cast with a frown.  “Where’s your wheelchair,” he demanded gruffly.

“I wanted to build up my strength.  Sitting on my ass doesn’t help.”

“Forcing your recovery won’t help either.”

Eden fought a smile.  Why
he was so against her recovery she had no clue, but it was evident that if it were up to him, she’d still be confined to the infirmary.  It was the same argument they’d had for the past few weeks.  She was determined to get back on her feet as soon as possible and he was determined to prevent it.  Every day she felt stronger and was able to do more and more, and every day he grew more and more angry with her.  It was confusing and a little deflating.

Monroe knew his attempt to pick a fight was just a stall tactic.  He was worried about confronting Eden, but i
t was now or never.  She was getting stronger everyday and he knew that soon she’d be asking to go home.  He’d have to convince her to stay of her own accord or risk losing her.  He wouldn’t allow it.  Without preamble and in his typical CEO fashion, he shot straight to the heart of the matter.  “Have you heard of Skin Walkers?”  His tone was light.

Eden
frowned.  “I’m native.  Of course I’ve heard of Skin Walkers.”

Mon
roe’s lips cocked in a half smile as he prompted, “And what do you think of them.”

“I don’t.”
She hobbled toward the door when Monroe caught her arm.  She’d tried to hide it but he hadn’t missed the haunted look that flashed through her eyes, and fear was pouring off her in waves.  He knew why.

“Eden, I know about the children,” his tone was soft and imploring.

She tried to jerk her arm free and feigned nonchalance but her racing heart told another story. “What about them?”

He kept his grip on her arm firm and
circled so he was facing her.  “They’re different Eden.  They are…
special.”

Oh God, how does he know?  How could he have possib
ly figured it out?
  She forced a calm smile but her heart was racing a mile-a-minute.  She’d been certain she’d done everything to keep everyone at the estate from suspecting anything.  Even Micah had confirmed that nothing had happened while she’d been in the infirmary.  There were no slips, no incidence that she could recall, nothing that would make anyone suspect that her children were....  “Of course they’re different,” she turned from him and shook her head dismissively not even aware that the forced brittle tone betrayed her terror.  “They’re kids.”

“They are Walkers.”

Her smile faltered a moment but was just as quickly replaced with one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.  “Walkers?  Don’t be absurd.”  She waved a hand wildly in the air, “I admit Micah’s hair is a little crazy but…”

“Stop,” his tone was calm.  “
I can scent your fear, angel, and I know that you’re terrified of anyone finding out your secret…
their
secret.”  His expression hardened, “I’m not anyone and you needn’t ever be terrified of, or hide anything from, me.” 

Walkers?
  It couldn’t be.  They were a legend, a myth, weren’t they? 
“No,” she shook her head, fighting the truth.  “You’re wrong!”

“
I know what they are.”

She was still shaking her head even as memories of the tales her parents had told her
raced through her mind. 

“Yes.”
  He said it with an air of authority that let her know he was fully aware of who and what they were.

Could it be?  She began to tremble as she
stood, slack jawed, and blinked rapidly attempting to process the possibility.

“I know they are Skin Walker
s, and I know it with such great certainty because…” 

Eden’s heart was beating so loudly that she knew that Monroe must be able to hear it.  No matter what he said, or how he pried, she’d never admit to anything.  She couldn’t
!  Admission would put her children at risk and she’d rather die than ever allow that to happen.

“I am a Skin Walker as well.  I know what they are because we are the same.”

Eden’s knees buckled and Monroe was there instantly to catch her.

“Eden?”

“I’m fine,” she lied.  She wasn’t fine; she doubted she’d be fine ever again.  “I-I have to go.”  Lifting a hand to her now pounding temple, she made to take a step but Monroe stopped her by tightening his hold on her.

“Look at me,” he demanded.

When she refused to meet his gaze he grabbed her chin, “Look at me, Eden!”

Dragging her eyes to meet his
, she blinked rapidly in hopes of dispelling the tears that glistened there.  She suddenly felt very alone and very vulnerable and she didn’t want him to look in her eyes and see the one other emotion that existed there that she knew she should be ashamed of…hope!

While she’d do anything to protect her children, some small part of her hoped
he was telling the truth.  She hoped he was like her children and that she could finally have someone to confide in, someone to share her burden. 
NO!
  She jerked free and turned from him, burying her face in her hands,
My children are not a burden! 
She shook her head as tears slipped free in self-reproach,
How could I even think that?

Strong arms enve
loped her, “It’s alright, angel.  I can protect them.  I can, and will, protect all of you.”  He knew he shouldn’t make the statement.  She wasn’t his angel and if his true mate did come along, he wouldn’t be able to control his urge to claim her and where would that leave Eden and the children?  He didn’t know, but he did know that he couldn’t let them go.

It’s alright? 
His words were astounding.  Her world had just been turned upside down, and he was acting if it was the most common thing in the world.  Her children were supposedly…
Skin Walkers! 
God, what did that even mean?  She knew they were special, had gifts, but this was too much. 

She’d been told of the legends concerning Skin Walkers
.  All native children had heard the stories of their ancestors who donned the skins or furs of an animal and by doing so were able to transform into the creature’s shape.  Unlike the tales though, that wasn't how it worked with her children.  They shifted indiscriminately, typically at the worst possible or most inconvenient times, and when they did, it wasn’t a full transition.  Sometimes, just their little faces would morph, or an arm or a leg would change shape.  They couldn’t control it and worse, they were terrified of their differences.  They knew they were unusual and they hated it.  The partial shifts were followed by fits of hysteria and fear, and all Eden could do was comfort them while learning to accept what they were.  She tried to teach them to accept their abilities as well while trying to gain some semblance of control.  Micah was the best at controlling his skill, and she figured the other children would learn to manage their gifts as they grew.

Skin Walkers! 
She thought in dazed amazement. 
My children are Skin Walkers!
  To finally know what they were was both a relief and a curse.  She could help them, guide them, and it was comforting to know there were others like them; yet, how could she ever console them when they discovered that they’d never outgrow this anomaly?               

Just then a loud wail sounded and Eden jerked from Monroe’s arms, instantly recognizing the cry. 
“Ransum!”

Monroe steadied her before racing from the room.  She followed much more slowly and when she arrived in the
children’s room, she saw Ransum sitting on the floor crying and holding his elbow while Cole backed up guiltily and Peyton simply pointed accusatorily at Cole.

Before she got the chance, Monroe already had
Ransum up off the floor and cradled in his arms.  “What happened?” he demanded.

“C-C-Cole bit me!”
Ransum wailed louder.

“Let me see,” Eden
hurried to his side and pulled his elbow down to inspect the two half-crescents that welted on either side of his elbow.  Still a little off kilter at Monroe’s confession, she tried her best to pin Cole with disapproving eyes.  “Young man?”

“Well,” Cole began dropping his gaze and kicking at the carpet. 

“Shhhh,” Monroe soothed as he crossed to the bed to sit with Ransum who was slowly quieting.  Peyton climbed up on the bed next to the duo to kiss her brother’s arm with a wet smack of her lips. 

“Come here,” Eden demanded in a firm tone. 

Reluctantly, Cole paced toward her as she planted delicate hands on slender hips. “Look at me.  Did you bite your brother?”

“Yes,” hi
s lip trembled.

“Why?”
  She heard Monroe mumble something about cookies and the kitchen, and Ransum’s tears dried up as he dashed out of the room with Peyton fast on his heels.

“We
was jus’ playing lizards an’ I was the boss lizard an’ he wouldn’t listen when he was supposed to!”

She fought a smile. 
Lizards! 
Then her eyes darted to Monroe uncomfortably.  Could he be telling the truth, could she trust him?  God, how she longed to trust him.  She wanted to believe he knew what was happening to her children and that he could protect them all and help them discover their differences.  It was a gamble though, what if he was lying?  What if it was a trick?  Her eyes met his and he simply stared at her.  His expression unguarded.  He was daring her to trust him and waiting patiently to allow her to decide her own fate and that of her children. 

She
tore her eyes from Monroe to pin Cole with her reproachful gaze as she leaned down and asked firmly, “Were you
playing
lizards or
being
lizards?”  Her heart thundered in her chest.  There it was.  Admission!

“We we
was playing an’…”

“Cole!” she warned
, fighting to keep her attention on her son instead of focusing on Monroe to gauge his reaction.

“We
was being lizards.”

“Do we bite when we’re ourselves?”

His eyes dipped, “No.”

“And do we bite when we’re not?”

“No,” he shook his head.

“And why not?
”  Eden prompted, as she pursed her lips in disapproval.

Cole
’s lower lip jutted out in a moue of sadness as he stated with a staccato that spoke of frequent recitation, “Because we’re people that can turn into animals.”

When silence hung in the air for long seconds Eden prompted with raised brows, “
Aaand…”

“And not the other way around
,” Cole supplied with a lowered head.

Monroe felt
wonder seize him.  Why had he never thought to explain it like that to his own Walkers?  So simple, so elementary, yet so right.  The teaching, coupled with the fact that she’d just entrusted him with the lives of her children and with her own faith was more than humbling, it was overwhelming.  In that moment, he wanted her.  Sexually yes, but it was more than that.  He wanted to capture her like a rare butterfly and keep her in a crystal jar to show her off and boast proudly that he’d been the Walker to catch such a beautiful and unique treasure.  She may not have been born a Skin Walker, but in his eyes, she was the most exceptional and beautiful creature he’d ever encountered. 

Smiling her approval, Eden pulled
Cole close to brush a kiss to the top of the child’s head and was instantly rewarded with a beaming smile. “Good boy.  Now go apologize to Ransum and play nice.”  When he made to race away Eden’s hand on his arm halted him, “Hey,” she lifted delicate fingers to tug on the lobe of one of his ears.  “What are these for?”

Cole smiled, “Listening.”

“What else?”

Cole’s expression shifted from delight to
self-satisfaction, as if he was about to reveal some great secret.  “Hearing!”

Eden winked at Cole and one of his
eyes squeezed shut while the other followed fractions of a second later in his own rendition of the gesture before he grabbed her hand, kissed it, then raced out of the room shouting, “Sorry Ransum!”

Monroe watched Eden as her eyes followed the child
before he rose from the bed crossed to her and followed her silently out the door.  She hobbled to the sitting room where she could keep an eye on the children in the kitchen as they shared a plate of cookies.

He regarded her as she settled herself in one of the chairs. 
The children were not her own but that didn’t prevent her from loving them and raising them with all the affection and due diligence that she’d lavish on her blood born.  There was so much he wanted to say to her.  He had so many questions that needed answers.  “You’re great with them you know?”  His words drew her attention.

“No,” she shook her head and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, “I don’t.  Honestly
, I don’t know what in the hell I’m doing and if I can be honest…it’s terrifying.”